Love in a Hopless Place Daryl Dixon Romance
by JESflash
Summary: A walking dead mash up nothing else needs to be said.
1. Crossbow to the Heart

Love In A Hopeless Place (Daryl Dixon Romance)

Chapter 1: Crossbow to the Heart

Savannah smelled smoke as she walked through the woods right outside the city of Atlanta. Atlanta, she thought, as sweet campfire fumes teased her senses. She stood still between the trees, her blue eyes closed and fighting back grieving tears that were threatening to spill over the edge, at the beginnings of dusk, remembering what terrible things had happened on those now bloody streets. She remembered what happened, like the outbreak and her families' deaths were just yesterday. Since then, she'd been scavenging through the woods trying to survive on her own. She had suffered through nights of running from the dead through thickets and dense woods until her feet were numb with fatigue and had bloody cuts from thorns There were long, hot nights where she had to hide, covered in mud, to keep them from tracking her scent. No matter what, she couldn't go back to the city where the dead stalked. That's where her family was. Her mom, her dad, and younger brother. She didn't want to see them like that. She didn't know if the beasts that walked the barren streets were alive or dead but whatever they were, she knew there wasn't any trace of humanity left. The way they fed and tore the flesh of their human prey apart reminded her of a pack of wild dogs whose eyes were wild with infection. If she ever saw her family like that, with no remorse left in their unbeating hearts and soulless eyes, she didn't know what she would do.

She pressed her chin close to her chest and shook her raven hair, trying to get rid of the repulsive tears. She couldn't let the tears come. She wouldn't, especially when they would be wasted on something that she could never get back. Tears were a sign of weakness in her mind. When the lump in her throat grew tighter and when the image of her little brother's cheeky face started choking her, she raised her head and wiped her petal cheeks dry of any dampness left behind. The tears slowly disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.

Savannah was a blue-eyed beauty and tears made her look pitiful. She didn't deserve to cry; she was too gorgeous. She had midnight hair that fell down the curve of her back in wavy tendrils. Ravens were jealous. Coral pink lips bloomed on her round, tan face. A perfect beauty mark was placed directly above the full line of her top lip. The pink of her lips complimented her gorgeous eyes that were as big as the moon. They were icy blue with highlights of a stormy sea. People drowned when they looked at her. She was short but had tan legs that went on for miles.

The sweet smell of smoke grew stronger, mixing rapidly through the new night air. The air was always the coldest just after dusk and Savannah's body reacted with ripples of goose bumps crawling along her sun-kissed skin. She was suddenly freezing and her teeth started chattering. She knew wherever that smoke was coming from there would be warmth but also a possibility of danger. She was willing to take the risk. She pulled her ankles free from her high tops and set her tiny bare feet gracefully on the plush grass, making her toes curl out of comfort.

"Ooo, that feels so good." She cooed to herself. Her feet had been cramped in those shoes for longest time unable to kiss the air and breath. She wiggled them and sighed with pleasure. Her toe nails still had chips of sapphire nail polish left on them. It was her favorite color. Anything bright blue caught her gaze and held it there. She had to take her shoes off so she could approach the smoke with stealth incase walkers had the place overrun. That's what she called them, walkers. She had taken two steps forward when a wet nose pressed against her calf. She looked down at the ground and her face lit up like the stars.

"Beast!" Savannah bent down and cupped her puppy's furry cheeks. His brown eyes stared back at her blues with his taffy tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth that was crowded with razor teeth. Beast was the only one she had left and she was his lifeline. He came up to her knees and was light on his feet, always darting through trees ahead of her and not coming back for hours. It scared her each time he ran off. She was afraid he wouldn't come back. However, she knew he was tough for his size. He was the color of butterscotch and just as sweet. He resembled a fawn the way black dots splattered across his bony back. As she scrunched up his face, rippling wrinkles crowded his face and the musical sound of her voice, which was full of adoration, made his massive ears perk up. They could pick up the slightest sound. One strange thing about Beast was that he didn't bark. Savannah had never heard him bark in his entire life. He didn't make a sound when strangers approached even a walker he just growled never barked.

"I didn't think you were coming back." She cooed. He licked her cheek, making it a slobbery mess. She usually talked to him a lot as if he was another person. That was the only thing she could do to keep her sanity. That and make up stories in her mind when she was bored. When he wasn't exploring the world that was now his playground, free to do what he wanted, he stuck by her side no matter what. When she whistled for him, he would come bounding around the corner in all his puppy glory. Beast suddenly stopped panting and sniffed the air, his head bobbing with the wind.

"You smell that too, huh? Do you think we should go check it out?" His only answer was ripping out of her grasp and disappearing through the woods. Moments later, when Beast realized Savannah wasn't following his paw prints, his head peered out from behind a black tree trunk, waiting for her patiently. His curly tail was wagging furiously. She had to laugh at how endearing and how naïve he was to the danger all around him. Savannah's laugh was musical. Its raspy tune rang through the trees in high octaves.

"Alright, alright, let's go." She laughed harder and ran into the trees after Beast, forgetting her muddy shoes, and in the direction of the pillar of smoke. He ran ahead, paws pounding against the earth. Dirt, blackened by the growing night, was being kicked up into the air by the running of lithe strides. Savannah's feet moved in synch with Beast and her toes sank in the mud, cooling them off. As she ran, she felt her knife jostling in its sheath at her hip. It knocked against her black jean shorts that came up to the middle of her thighs. She wore a white t-shirt that was thin enough that you could see her bra, which was the color of a basket of lemons. Laced around her neck was a sterling silver necklace that she had snatched from her mother before the outbreak occurred. Its cold metal twisting into the delicate shape of a rose chilled the soft skin above her full breasts. Even though Savannah had an intriguing figure, before all the shitty stuff started happening and the dead began rising, men never gave her a second glance. They all said she was too boyish and carefree for their liking. She had only had sex once and it wasn't even with a person she loved. It was a mistake and she wished she could take back those handfuls of moments. However, what was done was done and the past could never be replaced.

His name was Nick and he didn't even look at her during their first time. He treated their supposed special moments as if they were something he was dreading and had to quickly get over with. He smelled like cigarettes and cheap hooker's lipstick. Truthfully, she didn't love him either; she just wanted to get her virginity out of the way. Therefore, when they were finished, while he was sleeping with a glowing cigarette in his limp hand she kissed him on his cheek and left. She never looked back after that. It left an aching feeling between her legs and a chill down her spine at what she lost to the wrong person. That was 2 months before everything changed for the worst.

Now, her breath, ragged from sprinting, mixed with the air and her gorgeous hunting knife and a hollow nothing that was her purity, hit against her hip. Her knife that her best friend, Ruby, had given her, was completely black and was as long as her forearm. It was the only weapon Savannah had to defend herself, but it was enough. It was deadly when she wanted it to be and could cut someone straight to the bone with one slice. It especially cut through the decaying flesh of a walker with ease. Thinking of the knife brought back painful memories of her childhood friend. She didn't know if the person she'd known for many years was alive or walking among the dead. Ruby was a spitfire and had a personality that matched her hair, which was the color of her name. Savannah loved her like a sister and her heart ached at how she had ever gotten separated from the green eyed beauty and the thick glasses that framed them, but that was a story for another day.

Beast unexpectantly stopped and let out a warning growl, making Savannah skid to a halt. She listened and suddenly, she heard low voices and spotted a soft glow coming from past the edge of the tree line. She couldn't believe her ears. They were actual human voices and they were the most beautiful sounds she had ever heard. Beast whimpered, his paws digging into the curls of bluish grass, waiting for her to give him permission to check it out. She wouldn't do that because she didn't know if these people were lethal or not. She couldn't afford to lose him also. Stabbing flashbacks started to catch up with her but she rapidly withdrew them. She put a finger to her plump lips, making sure Beast was watching.

"Shhh, not just yet." She commanded. She didn't want to just barge in on them. She wanted to observe them first. After everything, she had become a very cautious and guarded woman who had walls made of steel. She went up to a black tree and peered around the cracked bark, looking in disbelief at the campsite before her icy eyes.

"I can't believe it, Beast. Real live people." She whispered it like she had never seen a person made of flesh and bone. Wonder filled her eyes as she checked to see what Beast was doing. He was at her bare feet, looking back at her with wide, chocolate eyes. They had flecks of gold embedded in the watery surfaces. The way he was looking at her was like the adorable face of a toddler looking over the bars of his crib, longing to be held. She moved her eyes back and they became transfixed by the campfire that was surrounded by…people. Warm, tender people. She wanted to cry happy and relieved tears.

This place that she had stumbled upon was literally right outside the city of Atlanta. It was on top of a cliff in the shadows of the skyscrapers of the city of the dead. Flickering flames and grey smoke smothered the cool, night air with intoxicating fumes that sent her nostalgia into a frantic frenzy. It was completely dark by this time, so she couldn't see past the fire and the lawn chairs surrounding it but she could make out the faint outlines of two vehicles. One, which was massive and had an umbrella fastened to the top was in front of a dirty pick-up truck with a Harley Davidson in the back. About ten or fifteen people sat around the fire, picking at Styrofoam plates and raising forks to their mouths. There seemed to be a fair amount of women, children, and men. One stuck out to her the most. The child was a small boy with mousy brown hair that was sloppily cut and eyes to match. He was being embraced by, Savannah only assumed, was his mother who had the same eyes and hair but hers was long and curly, which showed off her beautiful cheekbones. The woman looked like she had lost somebody also and would do anything to protect her cub from harm. He reminded her of her little brother in so many ways. She sighed at the thought and her stomach growled at the thought of food even though it was full of poor choices. She hadn't eaten any meat since the outbreak except for a few canned goods that she stowed away but those were gone now. Besides the cans, the only things she had eaten were berries and fruit from trees. She wasn't skilled enough to hunt cautiously and catch game. She put her delicate hand on her belly and yearned for what they had in their mouths. She didn't know how to approach but luckily, she didn't have to think because that's when fate stepped in and knocked her on her ass.

She turned to leave. Her intentions were to find somewhere to lie for the night and explore the new people thoroughly tomorrow, when the sun was high in the sky and on her side. As she tried to take a slow step forward, her bare foot twisted at an odd angle and cracked sending her to the ground. Her hands outstretched to cushion the blow and a high-pitched yelp flew out of her lips. She wasn't thinking as she crashed to the ground and it was too late when she realized her mistake. She had made noise and following her foolish outburst, she heard movement and the questioning murmurs of hushed voices. Men's voices that were telling people to stay back.

"Daryl, come with me." An authoritive voice sounded through the trees and echoed through her brain. She was scared and realized she didn't want to be discovered right now. She wanted to pace herself and find out more about these people and their routines before she stepped into their sights. She tried to get up but she couldn't move; her ankle hurt to the touch. She could barely even wiggle it without a sharp pain running up her long leg. She looked down at her feet and gasped. Her ankle was twice its size and bent at an odd angle. It was as purple as spring lilacs but didn't look as sweet. Tears prickled the corners of her eyes at the pain of movement and the thought of being caught. As the footsteps grew closer to the inky shadows she lay in, Beast pressed his soft tongue on her wound and licked it tenderly trying to help. He thought it would heal her, she mused.

"Beast! Go, until I come find you. I don't want them to see you." She bent forward and brushed her hand against his big ears, trying to get him to run off but he wouldn't budge. She bent further and pushed him harder, the action sending a white hot flame of pain up her leg. She breathed harshly through clenched teeth, trying to be quiet and ignore the pain.

"Go! Now!" she yelled. He looked at her comically and sped off through the dark trees and she stared until she couldn't see any more of his golden fur. She turned her neck back around and came to find herself staring at the wrong end of an arrow. She let out a frightened yelp and tried to move back but her ankle screamed a reminder of its injury sending her back into firing range.

"Who the hell are you?" A husky voice that owned the lethal crossbow asked with hostility. Savannah's blue eyes looked between the two men that were huddled around her. She tried to answer the man but all that came out was a shaky breath.

"Answer the damn question." The handsome man shouted and thrusted the crossbow into her face, almost smashing her beautiful features. She got a good look at him. The stranger was appealing to Savannah's striking eyes but his cut-blade tongue overshadowed it and made the butterflies go away completely. She looked him over for a quick second, taking him in while the other man put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. He wore green cargo pants, a white shirt with the sleeves chopped off that was covered in dirt, and sweat stains. Bulging muscles rippled in his dirt covered arms making the veins seem to pop out of his farm-boy tan. They looked strong as if they could protect her with massive strength but also hold someone gently. He had the most beautiful blue eyes. The strangers were light like a summer sky with sharp flecks of arctic ice and they were shocking to her sight like a bolt of electricity. A small pang jolted her inner belly at the thought of his eyes. The edges of the stranger's brown cropped hair were matted to his forehead with sweat. She still wasn't speaking and his blue eyes grew narrow at her loss for words. He looked at her as if she was retarded but at the look he scrutinized her with, Savannah hastily found her trembling voice.

"Savannah." She said, still being threatened with a crossbow. Blue eyes was about to answer but the other man stepped up. He crouched down, bending his knees to get down on her level.

"Were you bit?" he questioned, with a seriousness in his root beer eyes that scared her. He had bulging muscles also, that were hidden under a blue t-shirt and he had tan cargo pants buttoned to his sun-kissed hips. His curly black hair coiled around his ears in perfect tendrils, but the man holding the crossbow was without a doubt more attractive.

"No, I fell and messed up my ankle pretty bad. Could you tell your hot-headed buddy over there to lower his third arm?" She said, biting her lip and wanting the weapon out of her face. The man turned his head to the stranger, telling him to lower his crossbow, and returned his gaze back to Savannah.

"Well, I'm Shane and that's Daryl." He said, jutting a thumb behind him toward the man called Daryl who was glaring at the tiny woman. He dropped his eyes to the knife attached to her hip and then back at her big eyes. He didn't like the threat that she imposed.

"Nice to meet you, Shane." She said, deliberately ignoring Daryl who shot her daggers. She stuck out her hand and he took it, kissing it with lips that felt like satin sheets. She blushed with red heat. He looked at her swelling ankle and blew a low whistle.

"This looks pretty bad. We're gonna have to get Dale to look at this. He's the closest thing we have to a doctor around here." Next thing she knew the muscular man had picked her up bridal style and was cradling her into his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck, supporting herself. She looked at the man with the crossbow now lowered to his hip.

"What are you doing? Your just gonna just bring her into camp without knowing anything about her. We can't trust her!" He exclaimed, throwing his hand up and thrusting a pointing toward the woman. How could Shane do this? He thought. He didn't like the man that was carrying the tiny woman but he didn't think Shane was that stupid.

"She might be seriously injured; we can't just leave her out here." Shane said, arching one perfect eyebrow.

"The hell we can't." Daryl said, brushing past Shane and Savannah. He looked her straight in her blue eyes as he passed and his breath stopped for the shortest of seconds. She was kind of beautiful. Tears were on the brink of spilling out of the corners of her eyes as she watched him walk back to camp. As he sauntered back to his seat on the outside of the circle, he thought of her eyes and shuddered trying to forget them. Nobody asked him anything about what happened they didn't even glance in his direction. It was always like this ever since he and his brother, Merle, were hesitantly accepted into the group. The only reason they didn't send him and his brother in the other direction was because they didn't want their blood on their hands. He plopped down in his seat and picked his plate back up, dropping his crossbow beside him. It never left his side. He suddenly lost his appetite.

"What is that boy's problem?" Savannah asked, as she watched Daryl sit down in his lonely lawn chair, like the outcast he apparently was.

"No one knows what Daryl's problems are." Shane chuckled. That was a shame. No one, probably, knew anything about him except if he had any kin. She clung tighter to Shane's neck, her fingers intertwining together as Shane started toward the circle of people. She was so elated to meet the first people she had seen in about a month. One other stuck out to her besides the little boy that was now staring at her with curious eyes. Daryl. She was determined to make him trust and break down his walls even though she had a few of her own.

Everyone greeted her with happy laughter and euphoric smiles as Shane carried her to the fire and set her down next an old man and an Asian boy, who was grinning ear to ear. They were happy to see another survivor and one less walker.

"Hi, I'm Glenn." A sweet voice next to her said, before she had time to even look around. She looked to her left and met the slanted almond eyes of the Asian boy. She heard someone get up off the log and run toward something in the background. She heard a door open and close. She looked Glenn over. He was cute in a little kid way. He wore a baseball cap over messy jet black hair that held traces of grease within his locks. The most striking feature was his toothy smile. It made her smile grow even further. She could tell she was going to love this kid.

"I'm Savannah. Cute name." Savannah cooed. She was flirting just a bit. She took his hand shook it before she turned her blue eyes to the rest of the group. She spotted Shane, who had already sat down next the woman with the intriguing son, and he was staring at Savannah, waiting for her to begin. Her ankle still throbbed and she still couldn't move it at all.

"Savannah, tell us, what was a pretty lady like yourself doing out in the woods." Savannah's eyes traveled to the source of the thick voice and she blushed at someone calling her pretty. No one had ever called her pretty. A big, black man, whose skin was the color of milk chocolate, stared at her, looking at her right in the eye. He was a confident man.

"Well, first off I wanna know you guys before I start. So, what's your name?" She asked the black man.

"T-Dogg." He said, giving her a flirtatious wink. Daryl watched this with narrowed eyes, not liking the black man flirting with her for some reason.

"Cool and unique. I like you already, T-Dogg." She said with a giggle. She turned her gaze to the rest. She found herself absent mindedly leaning against Glenn's warmed-skinned arm. His arm hair tickled hers. His skin felt like fire.

"Carol and this is my daughter, Sophia." A sweet looking woman said, raising her hand tentatively and pointing toward a little girl with dirty blonde hair and sad blue eyes.

"Hey, did I tell you to speak?" Anger seeped out this man's tone. He sounded dangerous. An abuser and Savannah didn't like it. She glared at him. The way he sat over Carol and the way her eyes screamed help me told Savannah that there would be serious problems.

"Lovely to meet you Carol. You to Sophia." Savannah smiled a big, toothy grin, ignoring the fat man sitting next to Carol.

"This is Ed." The short hair haired woman said, avoiding eye contact and pointing towards the man who glared back at Savannah, not afraid.

Savannah didn't greet him. He didn't deserve it and she didn't like him at all. She just raised a black eyebrow and looked to the next person. Actually two people. Two blondes who had their arms around each other in a protective way. They looked like sisters actually more like twin. They both had corn silk hair pulled back into pony tails and blue eyes that Savannah was immediately drawn to. The only difference was that one seemed older.

The older one spoke first. "Andrea." She smiled and looked to her sister.

"And I'm Amy, her younger sister." Savannah knew she had been right. She had a knack for that kind of stuff. Amy leaned deeper into her sister's arms. They were close and Savannah silently begged for Ruby back. Begged for someone to be her best friend.

"A pleasure." A smile was plastered on her face. Her eyes finally landed on the little boy and his gorgeous mother. He had the most energetic look on his face. He looked like he was about to burst. He wanted to scream his name at the stranger so badly he could hardly contain it. He like her a lot. So when he saw her blue eyes land on him he screamed his name at her face.

"I'm Carl!" he screamed. As soon as sound brushed past his lips a warm hand enveloped around his mouth, smothering his voice. He heard Savannah laughing.

"Hey, quiet that stupid kid down. Do you want every walker in the city to hear us?" A southern voice yelled from behind Savannah. She whipped around and saw Daryl looking at them with annoyance written across his face. Savannah brushed him off and he noticed.

"Carl, you can't be loud, it's dangerous around here." His sweet but protective mother warned.

"I'm sorry. I was just excited." He said, apologetically. Savannah's heart melted like butter. She wanted to kiss him on the cheek and comfort him.

"It's alright, kiddo, he didn't mean it." Savannah said, leaning forward trying to reassure the little boy. She heard a quiet snort from outside the circle. How could he treat a child like this. She shook her head. The little boy's cheeks pushed out when his face lit up.

"This is my mom, Lori." He introduced the brunette by tugging on her hand. Savannah waved and smiled. She did the same. Savannah was so happy that she had forgotten about her ankle until she leaned forward and the pain pinched her, telling her that it was still there. She winced. Before anyone could ask what was wrong, and withered old man plopped down next to her with bandages, an old hoodie and a pair of shoes in his hand.

"Dale, at your service, my lady." He said, turning towards her. She laughed at his witty remark. He looked at her with tired green eyes that sparkled with great wisdom.

"Up here." He pointed at my ankle then at his thigh. She raised her injured foot slowly to his thigh and rested it on the itchy fabric of his jeans. Slight throbbing sensations thrummed in her ankle at the movement but soon died down when Dale's wrinkled fingers started gingerly working on wrapping her foot with great care. His hands were big with grey hair covering the back and salmon colored liver spots dotting his sun withered skin. They looked like a writer's hands; sore and calloused with long hours of slaving over a desk with an always scribbling pen. His gaze was serious, peering out from under a sun hat, as he worked at the wrap. Her ankle felt better and better by the second. She let out a sigh of pure comfort. He finished in mere minutes and slightly patted her wrapped ankle.

"Thanks, love." She said gratefully. He laughed.

"Love?" he asked, amusement saturating his tone. She looked into his eyes.

"Yeah, I call everyone that."

"Well, anytime." He lowered his gaze to his feet and picked up the hoodie and shoes. He pushed them onto her lap. The grey hoodie looked two sizes too big. She would disappear in that thing. The shoes weren't really shoes at all. They were boot made of reddish brown leather. When she slipped one on over her uninjured ankle, it went up to mid-calf and fit snugly to her caramel skin. The laces traveled all the way to the top where mocha tendrils hung loose. They were cute and warmed her pink toes.

Before she could thank Dale properly, he wandered off to sit next to the two young blondes who were whispering into each other's ears. Their eyes darting toward Savannah every now and then. As Savannah watched, her lip puffed and she wondered what they were saying about her. She probably did look pitiful with one boot on, untied, and a huge wrap around her ankle that was propped up on a log.

"Don't let it get to you. They always do that." Glenn said, beside her. His mouth was full with warm food, reminding her of how hungry she was.

"Do they ever talk to anybody else?" she asked, more of a joke but Glenn answered sincerely, staring at Savannah's blue eyes.

"Yeah, but they never leave each other's side." He said, admiring her. He fell as soon as he had seen her being carried into camp. He thought she was the most beautiful creature had ever laid eyes on. He fell for the eyes but he noticed that she had been staring at the outsider. She laughed at what he said and he couldn't believe it. No one ever laughed at him. Before she could respond, a male voice interrupted her.

"So, you didn't tell us where you came from." T-Dogg said, his muscular arms were crossed behind his bald head.

"O yeah, I forgot." She chuckled. "Umm…I'm from here and I've actually been living in the woods until you guys found me. I barely made it out of the city and I never want to go back." She summed it up pretty quick, not wanting to expose herself too much in front of these people.

Daryl perked up, as he was cleaning his precious arrows, when he heard the little girl's voice start to explain where she had come from and he actually found himself listening. He noticed that she didn't say much about where she came from, he discovered an itch in his brain to know more, and he didn't know why. He didn't know why Savannah intrigued him so much. Maybe it was her eyes and the way he could make her cry. He just turned his blue eyes back to his repetitive swipes with a twitch aching in his lips.

"That's it?' T-Dogg asked, with a puzzled look. He wasn't satisfied with her answer and knew there was a lot more to her. She nodded, noticing his perplexed look.

"Pretty much." She averted her gaze away from everyone's expectant eyes and turned back to Glenn wanting the conversation to end. She wasn't comfortable the personal talk. She wanted to get back to the laughing and irrelevant jokes. She sat there staring into space and not talking until everyone turned back to who they were talking to and what they were doing when they discovered she wasn't going to say anything else. Everyone looked at her with confused eyes. The only one who looked at her with knowing eyes was Daryl because he kind of knew how she felt. He was always misunderstood when he didn't want to talk about emotional crap.

"Okay," she said, when everyone's gaze was averted. She didn't notice Daryl penetrating the side of her head with the sky. "Where were we?" she asked Glenn. She ignored the weird look in his brown eyes.

"Gossip." He said bluntly. She snickered and her stomach growled. His eyes widened.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, his hand gripping his fork tighter. She nodded and dropped her eyes to his fake plate. Brown gravy and potatoes coated the waxy surface, taunting her.

"Very much." Pleading with her eyes, she pushed out her lip. "Can I have that? I haven't eaten anything in like two days." Her stomached cried out for her louder when Glenn stabbed the potato.

"Of course, beautiful." She blushed, he raised the fork to her mouth, and she opened wide. He fed her until her mouth was stuffed. Steam and fiery heat burnt her tongue but she didn't care. It was just too good. She didn't remember when she had something hot inside her mouth. She shuddered in pleasure.

"Mmm…so good. Thanks." She said with her mouth full. She noticed and put her tiny hand over her mouth and laughing making gravy dribble past her lips and onto her chin. She started laughing really hard, unable to control it. She suddenly snorted and eyes grew wide as she looked at Glenn's reaction. It was good. He just stared at her with his lips trembling and when he couldn't hold it in any longer he started laughing too.

"D-did you just s-snort?" his body racked with bursts of laughter as everyone stared at them. Savannah couldn't respond, her mouth filled with potatoes and giggles. She liked Glenn. He was easy to be around and made her laugh without even moving a muscle. He stopped suddenly, his eyes red and face blushing with hysteria. He leaned into her. For a second she thought he was going to kiss her but that was absurd; she barely knew him. He merely put his lips near her ear and whispered.

"Daryl's staring at you." He said and leaned back with a smile that hurt his cheeks. His eyes barely flickered in Daryl's direction.

Daryl had been staring at her the whole time without even realizing it. He absentmindedly wiped his arrows his icy eyes fixated on the petite girl laughing along with Glenn. He felt a slight pang in his gut. He wanted her to laugh at him not the Asian. He only noticed that he was staring when Glenn leaned in and whispered something in her hair. It looked like they were about to kiss. He wondered why he cared. The only one he cared for and trusted was his brother, Merle. Suddenly her stormy eyes snapped up to his and held his gaze. After what felt like forever, he lowered his head back to his arrows. This was the third time she had looked back at him and he was starting to get annoyed.

Savannah snickered and looked back towards Glenn after she caught Daryl staring at her. Why was he staring at her? He didn't seem to like her but when she saw his eyes, they were soft.

"He was! I wonder why?" she wondered. Glenn just shrugged. An idea suddenly struck her like a piece of plywood straight to the face. She was going to ask him what his problem and maybe include him. He looked so lonely out there all by his lonesome. Maybe he enjoyed it. He couldn't be here all alone, could he? She got up, balancing on one foot, the boot still strapped loosely on her good foot.

"Where are you going?" Glenn asked looking up at her in amusement at her wobbly balance act. Before she answered, she bent down and tugged the adorable boot off her foot having to put slight weight on her bad foot, which hurt like the wrath of God. She was barefoot and set.

"Um, I'm going to talk to the one who has staring problem." She said, picking up the grey hoodie. It was soft to the touch and warm against her fingertips. Glenn's hand reached out stop stop her from doing something stupid.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He warned. Seriousness captured his warm, brown eyes. All amusement had vanished into the stars. She placed a hand on her hip, her left foot still slightly raised above the ground.

"And why not?" she asked. He predicted that she was going to get her feelings hurt. He said the first excuse that popped in his mind.

"He's not nice." He said, his gaze glancing towards Daryl who was still intently cleaning his glistening arrows. She narrowed her eyes at the lack of faith he had in her. She didn't blame him though, they barely knew each other.

"I think I can handle him." She said slipping the hoodie over her head and fitting it snug to her torso.

Before he could respond, she carefully stepped over the log and gradually limped towards Daryl. She looked back over her shoulder and saw Glenn staring after her with an I warned you look. She chewed down on her lip and crossed her arms over her breasts, feeling the cold nip at her legs and the grass biting her bare feet. She stopped in front of Daryl. She waited for him to look up but he never did. She cleared her throat.

"Hi." She stammered, barely above a whisper. He quickly glanced at her and then back down at his arrows, his rough hands still moving rhythmically. She stared at his hands. They were huge compared to her tea cup hands.

Go away, he thought. He wasn't that lucky. She wasn't going to give up that easily. She stuck out her hand towards him, her pinky sticking downwards a little away from the rest of her tiny fingers.

"I'm sorry we met the way we did. I'm Savannah." She introduced herself properly, hoping it started their relationship off on kind words. She wasn't lucky either. He stopped moving his hands and looked at her. Two oceans meeting each other. One was calm seas and one was stormy waves. He looked at her hand as if it was infected with a disease. Like she was a walker. He looked her up and down for a quick second, taking her slender figure in and took a deep breathe. She stood there expectantly, biting her lip, her other hand curled deep into the hoodie sleeves, and she was standing on one foot. She looked pathetic. She really thought he was going to be nice after she came barging in here as if she owned the place; eating their food and using their medical supplies. She angered him to no end even though he didn't even know her.

"Git away from me, little girl." He snarled looking her straight in the gorgeous blue eyes. They instantly turned from calm seas to fury. He called her a little girl. She was 23 years old for goodness sakes. She looked at him with wide eyes and raised eyebrows.

"Excuse me. Don't call me names. And you don't have to be so mean; I was just trying to be nice." She defended, poking herself in the chest and stepping closer to Daryl. He was so mean but that was just him.

"Don't tell me what to do." He stated starting to get up. She was getting mad now and so was he. They both infuriated each other.

"Don't come near me." She commanded, starting to raise her voice.

"Make me." He said standing right in front of her, looking down on her. Her words died in her throat; forgotten as she looked up to meet his arctic eyes. Breathtaking. She really was little compared to him. She only came up to his shoulders and he was even bigger up close. She noticed how his muscles kept flexing in frustration and the beauty mark above his lip that matched her own, but hers was darker.

Daryl was aware that she was checking him out and the way it made her speechless. It amused him. He noticed a lot of things around the camp as he sat alone. The only time anybody ever approached him and his brother was when they needed someone to risk their lives or to hunt for food. He noticed how Shane always sat a little too close to Lori and her son or how Glenn looked at Savannah while she was standing over here. He checked her out too. She had a beauty mark also and how her long hair was perfectly messy or how her nails still had nail polish on them. He was extremely observant. What she did next startled him and he lashed out at her without thinking. She shoved him. Hard. He felt her tiny hands press against his hard with muscles chest with unexpected strength. He almost crashed to the ground because she had caught him off guard.

"There I made you. Jerk." She yelled. She stood there with her arms crossed with an eyebrow raised. She was still on one foot but Daryl didn't think about that when he did what he did. Blind with rage, he charged and pushed her to the ground. Her knees buckled as brute force knocked the air out of her. When she hit, her ankle twisted even more. She yelped in pain. Tears gushing. He tried not to pay attention to them. These tears didn't bring joy to him.

"Stupid bitch!" he yelled alerting the group even though the cry of pure pain already accomplished that. Everyone was looking at him in disbelief and shame. He walked away from her toward his tent, not looking back to check if she was okay. Something told him he should, but like most times he told it to shut up.

She cried even though it embarrassed her to break down in front of strangers but the pain was too great. Shane and Glenn were by her side as was everyone else minus the culprit. Hot tears streamed down her rosy cheeks, making them flush with fire.

"Are you, okay?" Glenn and Shane asked at the same time.

"No, he shoved me." She cried, with shaking, tear soaked words. The pain pulsated and it throbbed like her foot was being shoved into a burning coal pit. She leaned back onto her elbows and lifted her wrapped, purple foot into the air. It matched the night sky.

"I'm gonna kill 'em." Glenn said, through clenched teeth and fists ready to swing. She put her hand on his, making him look at her.

"He's not worth it. Now, help me up." She said, reaching out her hand.

"Can you walk?"

"I think." Turns out, she could. He put her arm around his shoulder and helped her limp toward the RV, with the yellow sun umbrella attached to the top. He let her go for a second to open he metal door. It swung open and revealed darkness. The tears were dry now and choking feeling was gone but her heart wasn't okay.

"Thank you, Glenn, for everything." She said.

With a cheeky smile, he said," Welcome." She kissed him on the cheek, a blush kissing him also. She chuckled and before she followed him up the steps, she looked back at Daryl's tent and shook her head. She sniffled, remembering his hands on her. She didn't want to stay here if she was going to be hurt.

Glenn set her up with a light blue, cotton blanket and bare pillow to sleep with. She had to sleep on the floor but that was perfect. She was used to sleepy on cave floors and vacant hard wood floors of boarded up houses. She rubbed the material on her face, savoring the plush fabric like it could disappear at any moment.

"You really did live in the woods all by yourself, huh?" he said staring at her like he was questioning her sanity. His eyebrow was raised.

"Hey, I haven't seen a blanket in weeks and no I wasn't alone." She said starting to set up her little bed on the floor. She didn't make eye contact. She was thinking about Beast. Her foot had started feeling a little better after she went inside the RV. She doubted if it was broke but it sure felt like it. Glenn had brought in her boots and set them on the counter with her knife, which Glenn had gawked at.

"Who were you with?" he said, leaning against the table, watching her make the bed.

"Not who, what. I was with my dog."

"Your dog?" He questioned.

"Yeah, Beast. Don't worry he doesn't bark." She explained. She was really worried and so was Glenn but for different reasons. She was concerned for Beast's safety and Glenn was worried about the group's. A dog wasn't a good idea.

"Okay." He said, not believing her but she didn't really feel like talking she let it go. She laid down in the blanket nad turned over, hiding her face in the pillow.

"G' night, Savannah. Sweet dreams." Glenn said.

"Goodnight." She mumbled into the pillow. She didn't even hear him leave as she focused her mind on two things. Beast and blue eyes.


	2. Forgive and Forget Right?

Love In A Hopeless Place (Daryl Dixon Romance)

Chapter 1: Crossbow to the Heart

Savannah smelled smoke as she walked through the woods right outside the city of Atlanta. Atlanta, she thought, as sweet campfire fumes teased her senses. She stood still between the trees, her blue eyes closed and fighting back grieving tears that were threatening to spill over the edge, at the beginnings of dusk, remembering what terrible things had happened on those now bloody streets. She remembered what happened, like the outbreak and her families' deaths were just yesterday. Since then, she'd been scavenging through the woods trying to survive on her own. She had suffered through nights of running from the dead through thickets and dense woods until her feet were numb with fatigue and had bloody cuts from thorns There were long, hot nights where she had to hide, covered in mud, to keep them from tracking her scent. No matter what, she couldn't go back to the city where the dead stalked. That's where her family was. Her mom, her dad, and younger brother. She didn't want to see them like that. She didn't know if the beasts that walked the barren streets were alive or dead but whatever they were, she knew there wasn't any trace of humanity left. The way they fed and tore the flesh of their human prey apart reminded her of a pack of wild dogs whose eyes were wild with infection. If she ever saw her family like that, with no remorse left in their unbeating hearts and soulless eyes, she didn't know what she would do.

She pressed her chin close to her chest and shook her raven hair, trying to get rid of the repulsive tears. She couldn't let the tears come. She wouldn't, especially when they would be wasted on something that she could never get back. Tears were a sign of weakness in her mind. When the lump in her throat grew tighter and when the image of her little brother's cheeky face started choking her, she raised her head and wiped her petal cheeks dry of any dampness left behind. The tears slowly disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.

Savannah was a blue-eyed beauty and tears made her look pitiful. She didn't deserve to cry; she was too gorgeous. She had midnight hair that fell down the curve of her back in wavy tendrils. Ravens were jealous. Coral pink lips bloomed on her round, tan face. A perfect beauty mark was placed directly above the full line of her top lip. The pink of her lips complimented her gorgeous eyes that were as big as the moon. They were icy blue with highlights of a stormy sea. People drowned when they looked at her. She was short but had tan legs that went on for miles.

The sweet smell of smoke grew stronger, mixing rapidly through the new night air. The air was always the coldest just after dusk and Savannah's body reacted with ripples of goose bumps crawling along her sun-kissed skin. She was suddenly freezing and her teeth started chattering. She knew wherever that smoke was coming from there would be warmth but also a possibility of danger. She was willing to take the risk. She pulled her ankles free from her high tops and set her tiny bare feet gracefully on the plush grass, making her toes curl out of comfort.

"Ooo, that feels so good." She cooed to herself. Her feet had been cramped in those shoes for longest time unable to kiss the air and breath. She wiggled them and sighed with pleasure. Her toe nails still had chips of sapphire nail polish left on them. It was her favorite color. Anything bright blue caught her gaze and held it there. She had to take her shoes off so she could approach the smoke with stealth incase walkers had the place overrun. That's what she called them, walkers. She had taken two steps forward when a wet nose pressed against her calf. She looked down at the ground and her face lit up like the stars.

"Beast!" Savannah bent down and cupped her puppy's furry cheeks. His brown eyes stared back at her blues with his taffy tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth that was crowded with razor teeth. Beast was the only one she had left and she was his lifeline. He came up to her knees and was light on his feet, always darting through trees ahead of her and not coming back for hours. It scared her each time he ran off. She was afraid he wouldn't come back. However, she knew he was tough for his size. He was the color of butterscotch and just as sweet. He resembled a fawn the way black dots splattered across his bony back. As she scrunched up his face, rippling wrinkles crowded his face and the musical sound of her voice, which was full of adoration, made his massive ears perk up. They could pick up the slightest sound. One strange thing about Beast was that he didn't bark. Savannah had never heard him bark in his entire life. He didn't make a sound when strangers approached even a walker he just growled never barked.

"I didn't think you were coming back." She cooed. He licked her cheek, making it a slobbery mess. She usually talked to him a lot as if he was another person. That was the only thing she could do to keep her sanity. That and make up stories in her mind when she was bored. When he wasn't exploring the world that was now his playground, free to do what he wanted, he stuck by her side no matter what. When she whistled for him, he would come bounding around the corner in all his puppy glory. Beast suddenly stopped panting and sniffed the air, his head bobbing with the wind.

"You smell that too, huh? Do you think we should go check it out?" His only answer was ripping out of her grasp and disappearing through the woods. Moments later, when Beast realized Savannah wasn't following his paw prints, his head peered out from behind a black tree trunk, waiting for her patiently. His curly tail was wagging furiously. She had to laugh at how endearing and how naïve he was to the danger all around him. Savannah's laugh was musical. Its raspy tune rang through the trees in high octaves.

"Alright, alright, let's go." She laughed harder and ran into the trees after Beast, forgetting her muddy shoes, and in the direction of the pillar of smoke. He ran ahead, paws pounding against the earth. Dirt, blackened by the growing night, was being kicked up into the air by the running of lithe strides. Savannah's feet moved in synch with Beast and her toes sank in the mud, cooling them off. As she ran, she felt her knife jostling in its sheath at her hip. It knocked against her black jean shorts that came up to the middle of her thighs. She wore a white t-shirt that was thin enough that you could see her bra, which was the color of a basket of lemons. Laced around her neck was a sterling silver necklace that she had snatched from her mother before the outbreak occurred. Its cold metal twisting into the delicate shape of a rose chilled the soft skin above her full breasts. Even though Savannah had an intriguing figure, before all the shitty stuff started happening and the dead began rising, men never gave her a second glance. They all said she was too boyish and carefree for their liking. She had only had sex once and it wasn't even with a person she loved. It was a mistake and she wished she could take back those handfuls of moments. However, what was done was done and the past could never be replaced.

His name was Nick and he didn't even look at her during their first time. He treated their supposed special moments as if they were something he was dreading and had to quickly get over with. He smelled like cigarettes and cheap hooker's lipstick. Truthfully, she didn't love him either; she just wanted to get her virginity out of the way. Therefore, when they were finished, while he was sleeping with a glowing cigarette in his limp hand she kissed him on his cheek and left. She never looked back after that. It left an aching feeling between her legs and a chill down her spine at what she lost to the wrong person. That was 2 months before everything changed for the worst.

Now, her breath, ragged from sprinting, mixed with the air and her gorgeous hunting knife and a hollow nothing that was her purity, hit against her hip. Her knife that her best friend, Ruby, had given her, was completely black and was as long as her forearm. It was the only weapon Savannah had to defend herself, but it was enough. It was deadly when she wanted it to be and could cut someone straight to the bone with one slice. It especially cut through the decaying flesh of a walker with ease. Thinking of the knife brought back painful memories of her childhood friend. She didn't know if the person she'd known for many years was alive or walking among the dead. Ruby was a spitfire and had a personality that matched her hair, which was the color of her name. Savannah loved her like a sister and her heart ached at how she had ever gotten separated from the green eyed beauty and the thick glasses that framed them, but that was a story for another day.

Beast unexpectantly stopped and let out a warning growl, making Savannah skid to a halt. She listened and suddenly, she heard low voices and spotted a soft glow coming from past the edge of the tree line. She couldn't believe her ears. They were actual human voices and they were the most beautiful sounds she had ever heard. Beast whimpered, his paws digging into the curls of bluish grass, waiting for her to give him permission to check it out. She wouldn't do that because she didn't know if these people were lethal or not. She couldn't afford to lose him also. Stabbing flashbacks started to catch up with her but she rapidly withdrew them. She put a finger to her plump lips, making sure Beast was watching.

"Shhh, not just yet." She commanded. She didn't want to just barge in on them. She wanted to observe them first. After everything, she had become a very cautious and guarded woman who had walls made of steel. She went up to a black tree and peered around the cracked bark, looking in disbelief at the campsite before her icy eyes.

"I can't believe it, Beast. Real live people." She whispered it like she had never seen a person made of flesh and bone. Wonder filled her eyes as she checked to see what Beast was doing. He was at her bare feet, looking back at her with wide, chocolate eyes. They had flecks of gold embedded in the watery surfaces. The way he was looking at her was like the adorable face of a toddler looking over the bars of his crib, longing to be held. She moved her eyes back and they became transfixed by the campfire that was surrounded by…people. Warm, tender people. She wanted to cry happy and relieved tears.

This place that she had stumbled upon was literally right outside the city of Atlanta. It was on top of a cliff in the shadows of the skyscrapers of the city of the dead. Flickering flames and grey smoke smothered the cool, night air with intoxicating fumes that sent her nostalgia into a frantic frenzy. It was completely dark by this time, so she couldn't see past the fire and the lawn chairs surrounding it but she could make out the faint outlines of two vehicles. One, which was massive and had an umbrella fastened to the top was in front of a dirty pick-up truck with a Harley Davidson in the back. About ten or fifteen people sat around the fire, picking at Styrofoam plates and raising forks to their mouths. There seemed to be a fair amount of women, children, and men. One stuck out to her the most. The child was a small boy with mousy brown hair that was sloppily cut and eyes to match. He was being embraced by, Savannah only assumed, was his mother who had the same eyes and hair but hers was long and curly, which showed off her beautiful cheekbones. The woman looked like she had lost somebody also and would do anything to protect her cub from harm. He reminded her of her little brother in so many ways. She sighed at the thought and her stomach growled at the thought of food even though it was full of poor choices. She hadn't eaten any meat since the outbreak except for a few canned goods that she stowed away but those were gone now. Besides the cans, the only things she had eaten were berries and fruit from trees. She wasn't skilled enough to hunt cautiously and catch game. She put her delicate hand on her belly and yearned for what they had in their mouths. She didn't know how to approach but luckily, she didn't have to think because that's when fate stepped in and knocked her on her ass.

She turned to leave. Her intentions were to find somewhere to lie for the night and explore the new people thoroughly tomorrow, when the sun was high in the sky and on her side. As she tried to take a slow step forward, her bare foot twisted at an odd angle and cracked sending her to the ground. Her hands outstretched to cushion the blow and a high-pitched yelp flew out of her lips. She wasn't thinking as she crashed to the ground and it was too late when she realized her mistake. She had made noise and following her foolish outburst, she heard movement and the questioning murmurs of hushed voices. Men's voices that were telling people to stay back.

"Daryl, come with me." An authoritive voice sounded through the trees and echoed through her brain. She was scared and realized she didn't want to be discovered right now. She wanted to pace herself and find out more about these people and their routines before she stepped into their sights. She tried to get up but she couldn't move; her ankle hurt to the touch. She could barely even wiggle it without a sharp pain running up her long leg. She looked down at her feet and gasped. Her ankle was twice its size and bent at an odd angle. It was as purple as spring lilacs but didn't look as sweet. Tears prickled the corners of her eyes at the pain of movement and the thought of being caught. As the footsteps grew closer to the inky shadows she lay in, Beast pressed his soft tongue on her wound and licked it tenderly trying to help. He thought it would heal her, she mused.

"Beast! Go, until I come find you. I don't want them to see you." She bent forward and brushed her hand against his big ears, trying to get him to run off but he wouldn't budge. She bent further and pushed him harder, the action sending a white hot flame of pain up her leg. She breathed harshly through clenched teeth, trying to be quiet and ignore the pain.

"Go! Now!" she yelled. He looked at her comically and sped off through the dark trees and she stared until she couldn't see any more of his golden fur. She turned her neck back around and came to find herself staring at the wrong end of an arrow. She let out a frightened yelp and tried to move back but her ankle screamed a reminder of its injury sending her back into firing range.

"Who the hell are you?" A husky voice that owned the lethal crossbow asked with hostility. Savannah's blue eyes looked between the two men that were huddled around her. She tried to answer the man but all that came out was a shaky breath.

"Answer the damn question." The handsome man shouted and thrusted the crossbow into her face, almost smashing her beautiful features. She got a good look at him. The stranger was appealing to Savannah's striking eyes but his cut-blade tongue overshadowed it and made the butterflies go away completely. She looked him over for a quick second, taking him in while the other man put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. He wore green cargo pants, a white shirt with the sleeves chopped off that was covered in dirt, and sweat stains. Bulging muscles rippled in his dirt covered arms making the veins seem to pop out of his farm-boy tan. They looked strong as if they could protect her with massive strength but also hold someone gently. He had the most beautiful blue eyes. The strangers were light like a summer sky with sharp flecks of arctic ice and they were shocking to her sight like a bolt of electricity. A small pang jolted her inner belly at the thought of his eyes. The edges of the stranger's brown cropped hair were matted to his forehead with sweat. She still wasn't speaking and his blue eyes grew narrow at her loss for words. He looked at her as if she was retarded but at the look he scrutinized her with, Savannah hastily found her trembling voice.

"Savannah." She said, still being threatened with a crossbow. Blue eyes was about to answer but the other man stepped up. He crouched down, bending his knees to get down on her level.

"Were you bit?" he questioned, with a seriousness in his root beer eyes that scared her. He had bulging muscles also, that were hidden under a blue t-shirt and he had tan cargo pants buttoned to his sun-kissed hips. His curly black hair coiled around his ears in perfect tendrils, but the man holding the crossbow was without a doubt more attractive.

"No, I fell and messed up my ankle pretty bad. Could you tell your hot-headed buddy over there to lower his third arm?" She said, biting her lip and wanting the weapon out of her face. The man turned his head to the stranger, telling him to lower his crossbow, and returned his gaze back to Savannah.

"Well, I'm Shane and that's Daryl." He said, jutting a thumb behind him toward the man called Daryl who was glaring at the tiny woman. He dropped his eyes to the knife attached to her hip and then back at her big eyes. He didn't like the threat that she imposed.

"Nice to meet you, Shane." She said, deliberately ignoring Daryl who shot her daggers. She stuck out her hand and he took it, kissing it with lips that felt like satin sheets. She blushed with red heat. He looked at her swelling ankle and blew a low whistle.

"This looks pretty bad. We're gonna have to get Dale to look at this. He's the closest thing we have to a doctor around here." Next thing she knew the muscular man had picked her up bridal style and was cradling her into his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck, supporting herself. She looked at the man with the crossbow now lowered to his hip.

"What are you doing? Your just gonna just bring her into camp without knowing anything about her. We can't trust her!" He exclaimed, throwing his hand up and thrusting a pointing toward the woman. How could Shane do this? He thought. He didn't like the man that was carrying the tiny woman but he didn't think Shane was that stupid.

"She might be seriously injured; we can't just leave her out here." Shane said, arching one perfect eyebrow.

"The hell we can't." Daryl said, brushing past Shane and Savannah. He looked her straight in her blue eyes as he passed and his breath stopped for the shortest of seconds. She was kind of beautiful. Tears were on the brink of spilling out of the corners of her eyes as she watched him walk back to camp. As he sauntered back to his seat on the outside of the circle, he thought of her eyes and shuddered trying to forget them. Nobody asked him anything about what happened they didn't even glance in his direction. It was always like this ever since he and his brother, Merle, were hesitantly accepted into the group. The only reason they didn't send him and his brother in the other direction was because they didn't want their blood on their hands. He plopped down in his seat and picked his plate back up, dropping his crossbow beside him. It never left his side. He suddenly lost his appetite.

"What is that boy's problem?" Savannah asked, as she watched Daryl sit down in his lonely lawn chair, like the outcast he apparently was.

"No one knows what Daryl's problems are." Shane chuckled. That was a shame. No one, probably, knew anything about him except if he had any kin. She clung tighter to Shane's neck, her fingers intertwining together as Shane started toward the circle of people. She was so elated to meet the first people she had seen in about a month. One other stuck out to her besides the little boy that was now staring at her with curious eyes. Daryl. She was determined to make him trust and break down his walls even though she had a few of her own.

Everyone greeted her with happy laughter and euphoric smiles as Shane carried her to the fire and set her down next an old man and an Asian boy, who was grinning ear to ear. They were happy to see another survivor and one less walker.

"Hi, I'm Glenn." A sweet voice next to her said, before she had time to even look around. She looked to her left and met the slanted almond eyes of the Asian boy. She heard someone get up off the log and run toward something in the background. She heard a door open and close. She looked Glenn over. He was cute in a little kid way. He wore a baseball cap over messy jet black hair that held traces of grease within his locks. The most striking feature was his toothy smile. It made her smile grow even further. She could tell she was going to love this kid.

"I'm Savannah. Cute name." Savannah cooed. She was flirting just a bit. She took his hand shook it before she turned her blue eyes to the rest of the group. She spotted Shane, who had already sat down next the woman with the intriguing son, and he was staring at Savannah, waiting for her to begin. Her ankle still throbbed and she still couldn't move it at all.

"Savannah, tell us, what was a pretty lady like yourself doing out in the woods." Savannah's eyes traveled to the source of the thick voice and she blushed at someone calling her pretty. No one had ever called her pretty. A big, black man, whose skin was the color of milk chocolate, stared at her, looking at her right in the eye. He was a confident man.

"Well, first off I wanna know you guys before I start. So, what's your name?" She asked the black man.

"T-Dogg." He said, giving her a flirtatious wink. Daryl watched this with narrowed eyes, not liking the black man flirting with her for some reason.

"Cool and unique. I like you already, T-Dogg." She said with a giggle. She turned her gaze to the rest. She found herself absent mindedly leaning against Glenn's warmed-skinned arm. His arm hair tickled hers. His skin felt like fire.

"Carol and this is my daughter, Sophia." A sweet looking woman said, raising her hand tentatively and pointing toward a little girl with dirty blonde hair and sad blue eyes.

"Hey, did I tell you to speak?" Anger seeped out this man's tone. He sounded dangerous. An abuser and Savannah didn't like it. She glared at him. The way he sat over Carol and the way her eyes screamed help me told Savannah that there would be serious problems.

"Lovely to meet you Carol. You to Sophia." Savannah smiled a big, toothy grin, ignoring the fat man sitting next to Carol.

"This is Ed." The short hair haired woman said, avoiding eye contact and pointing towards the man who glared back at Savannah, not afraid.

Savannah didn't greet him. He didn't deserve it and she didn't like him at all. She just raised a black eyebrow and looked to the next person. Actually two people. Two blondes who had their arms around each other in a protective way. They looked like sisters actually more like twin. They both had corn silk hair pulled back into pony tails and blue eyes that Savannah was immediately drawn to. The only difference was that one seemed older.

The older one spoke first. "Andrea." She smiled and looked to her sister.

"And I'm Amy, her younger sister." Savannah knew she had been right. She had a knack for that kind of stuff. Amy leaned deeper into her sister's arms. They were close and Savannah silently begged for Ruby back. Begged for someone to be her best friend.

"A pleasure." A smile was plastered on her face. Her eyes finally landed on the little boy and his gorgeous mother. He had the most energetic look on his face. He looked like he was about to burst. He wanted to scream his name at the stranger so badly he could hardly contain it. He like her a lot. So when he saw her blue eyes land on him he screamed his name at her face.

"I'm Carl!" he screamed. As soon as sound brushed past his lips a warm hand enveloped around his mouth, smothering his voice. He heard Savannah laughing.

"Hey, quiet that stupid kid down. Do you want every walker in the city to hear us?" A southern voice yelled from behind Savannah. She whipped around and saw Daryl looking at them with annoyance written across his face. Savannah brushed him off and he noticed.

"Carl, you can't be loud, it's dangerous around here." His sweet but protective mother warned.

"I'm sorry. I was just excited." He said, apologetically. Savannah's heart melted like butter. She wanted to kiss him on the cheek and comfort him.

"It's alright, kiddo, he didn't mean it." Savannah said, leaning forward trying to reassure the little boy. She heard a quiet snort from outside the circle. How could he treat a child like this. She shook her head. The little boy's cheeks pushed out when his face lit up.

"This is my mom, Lori." He introduced the brunette by tugging on her hand. Savannah waved and smiled. She did the same. Savannah was so happy that she had forgotten about her ankle until she leaned forward and the pain pinched her, telling her that it was still there. She winced. Before anyone could ask what was wrong, and withered old man plopped down next to her with bandages, an old hoodie and a pair of shoes in his hand.

"Dale, at your service, my lady." He said, turning towards her. She laughed at his witty remark. He looked at her with tired green eyes that sparkled with great wisdom.

"Up here." He pointed at my ankle then at his thigh. She raised her injured foot slowly to his thigh and rested it on the itchy fabric of his jeans. Slight throbbing sensations thrummed in her ankle at the movement but soon died down when Dale's wrinkled fingers started gingerly working on wrapping her foot with great care. His hands were big with grey hair covering the back and salmon colored liver spots dotting his sun withered skin. They looked like a writer's hands; sore and calloused with long hours of slaving over a desk with an always scribbling pen. His gaze was serious, peering out from under a sun hat, as he worked at the wrap. Her ankle felt better and better by the second. She let out a sigh of pure comfort. He finished in mere minutes and slightly patted her wrapped ankle.

"Thanks, love." She said gratefully. He laughed.

"Love?" he asked, amusement saturating his tone. She looked into his eyes.

"Yeah, I call everyone that."

"Well, anytime." He lowered his gaze to his feet and picked up the hoodie and shoes. He pushed them onto her lap. The grey hoodie looked two sizes too big. She would disappear in that thing. The shoes weren't really shoes at all. They were boot made of reddish brown leather. When she slipped one on over her uninjured ankle, it went up to mid-calf and fit snugly to her caramel skin. The laces traveled all the way to the top where mocha tendrils hung loose. They were cute and warmed her pink toes.

Before she could thank Dale properly, he wandered off to sit next to the two young blondes who were whispering into each other's ears. Their eyes darting toward Savannah every now and then. As Savannah watched, her lip puffed and she wondered what they were saying about her. She probably did look pitiful with one boot on, untied, and a huge wrap around her ankle that was propped up on a log.

"Don't let it get to you. They always do that." Glenn said, beside her. His mouth was full with warm food, reminding her of how hungry she was.

"Do they ever talk to anybody else?" she asked, more of a joke but Glenn answered sincerely, staring at Savannah's blue eyes.

"Yeah, but they never leave each other's side." He said, admiring her. He fell as soon as he had seen her being carried into camp. He thought she was the most beautiful creature had ever laid eyes on. He fell for the eyes but he noticed that she had been staring at the outsider. She laughed at what he said and he couldn't believe it. No one ever laughed at him. Before she could respond, a male voice interrupted her.

"So, you didn't tell us where you came from." T-Dogg said, his muscular arms were crossed behind his bald head.

"O yeah, I forgot." She chuckled. "Umm…I'm from here and I've actually been living in the woods until you guys found me. I barely made it out of the city and I never want to go back." She summed it up pretty quick, not wanting to expose herself too much in front of these people.

Daryl perked up, as he was cleaning his precious arrows, when he heard the little girl's voice start to explain where she had come from and he actually found himself listening. He noticed that she didn't say much about where she came from, he discovered an itch in his brain to know more, and he didn't know why. He didn't know why Savannah intrigued him so much. Maybe it was her eyes and the way he could make her cry. He just turned his blue eyes back to his repetitive swipes with a twitch aching in his lips.

"That's it?' T-Dogg asked, with a puzzled look. He wasn't satisfied with her answer and knew there was a lot more to her. She nodded, noticing his perplexed look.

"Pretty much." She averted her gaze away from everyone's expectant eyes and turned back to Glenn wanting the conversation to end. She wasn't comfortable the personal talk. She wanted to get back to the laughing and irrelevant jokes. She sat there staring into space and not talking until everyone turned back to who they were talking to and what they were doing when they discovered she wasn't going to say anything else. Everyone looked at her with confused eyes. The only one who looked at her with knowing eyes was Daryl because he kind of knew how she felt. He was always misunderstood when he didn't want to talk about emotional crap.

"Okay," she said, when everyone's gaze was averted. She didn't notice Daryl penetrating the side of her head with the sky. "Where were we?" she asked Glenn. She ignored the weird look in his brown eyes.

"Gossip." He said bluntly. She snickered and her stomach growled. His eyes widened.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, his hand gripping his fork tighter. She nodded and dropped her eyes to his fake plate. Brown gravy and potatoes coated the waxy surface, taunting her.

"Very much." Pleading with her eyes, she pushed out her lip. "Can I have that? I haven't eaten anything in like two days." Her stomached cried out for her louder when Glenn stabbed the potato.

"Of course, beautiful." She blushed, he raised the fork to her mouth, and she opened wide. He fed her until her mouth was stuffed. Steam and fiery heat burnt her tongue but she didn't care. It was just too good. She didn't remember when she had something hot inside her mouth. She shuddered in pleasure.

"Mmm…so good. Thanks." She said with her mouth full. She noticed and put her tiny hand over her mouth and laughing making gravy dribble past her lips and onto her chin. She started laughing really hard, unable to control it. She suddenly snorted and eyes grew wide as she looked at Glenn's reaction. It was good. He just stared at her with his lips trembling and when he couldn't hold it in any longer he started laughing too.

"D-did you just s-snort?" his body racked with bursts of laughter as everyone stared at them. Savannah couldn't respond, her mouth filled with potatoes and giggles. She liked Glenn. He was easy to be around and made her laugh without even moving a muscle. He stopped suddenly, his eyes red and face blushing with hysteria. He leaned into her. For a second she thought he was going to kiss her but that was absurd; she barely knew him. He merely put his lips near her ear and whispered.

"Daryl's staring at you." He said and leaned back with a smile that hurt his cheeks. His eyes barely flickered in Daryl's direction.

Daryl had been staring at her the whole time without even realizing it. He absentmindedly wiped his arrows his icy eyes fixated on the petite girl laughing along with Glenn. He felt a slight pang in his gut. He wanted her to laugh at him not the Asian. He only noticed that he was staring when Glenn leaned in and whispered something in her hair. It looked like they were about to kiss. He wondered why he cared. The only one he cared for and trusted was his brother, Merle. Suddenly her stormy eyes snapped up to his and held his gaze. After what felt like forever, he lowered his head back to his arrows. This was the third time she had looked back at him and he was starting to get annoyed.

Savannah snickered and looked back towards Glenn after she caught Daryl staring at her. Why was he staring at her? He didn't seem to like her but when she saw his eyes, they were soft.

"He was! I wonder why?" she wondered. Glenn just shrugged. An idea suddenly struck her like a piece of plywood straight to the face. She was going to ask him what his problem and maybe include him. He looked so lonely out there all by his lonesome. Maybe he enjoyed it. He couldn't be here all alone, could he? She got up, balancing on one foot, the boot still strapped loosely on her good foot.

"Where are you going?" Glenn asked looking up at her in amusement at her wobbly balance act. Before she answered, she bent down and tugged the adorable boot off her foot having to put slight weight on her bad foot, which hurt like the wrath of God. She was barefoot and set.

"Um, I'm going to talk to the one who has staring problem." She said, picking up the grey hoodie. It was soft to the touch and warm against her fingertips. Glenn's hand reached out stop stop her from doing something stupid.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He warned. Seriousness captured his warm, brown eyes. All amusement had vanished into the stars. She placed a hand on her hip, her left foot still slightly raised above the ground.

"And why not?" she asked. He predicted that she was going to get her feelings hurt. He said the first excuse that popped in his mind.

"He's not nice." He said, his gaze glancing towards Daryl who was still intently cleaning his glistening arrows. She narrowed her eyes at the lack of faith he had in her. She didn't blame him though, they barely knew each other.

"I think I can handle him." She said slipping the hoodie over her head and fitting it snug to her torso.

Before he could respond, she carefully stepped over the log and gradually limped towards Daryl. She looked back over her shoulder and saw Glenn staring after her with an I warned you look. She chewed down on her lip and crossed her arms over her breasts, feeling the cold nip at her legs and the grass biting her bare feet. She stopped in front of Daryl. She waited for him to look up but he never did. She cleared her throat.

"Hi." She stammered, barely above a whisper. He quickly glanced at her and then back down at his arrows, his rough hands still moving rhythmically. She stared at his hands. They were huge compared to her tea cup hands.

Go away, he thought. He wasn't that lucky. She wasn't going to give up that easily. She stuck out her hand towards him, her pinky sticking downwards a little away from the rest of her tiny fingers.

"I'm sorry we met the way we did. I'm Savannah." She introduced herself properly, hoping it started their relationship off on kind words. She wasn't lucky either. He stopped moving his hands and looked at her. Two oceans meeting each other. One was calm seas and one was stormy waves. He looked at her hand as if it was infected with a disease. Like she was a walker. He looked her up and down for a quick second, taking her slender figure in and took a deep breathe. She stood there expectantly, biting her lip, her other hand curled deep into the hoodie sleeves, and she was standing on one foot. She looked pathetic. She really thought he was going to be nice after she came barging in here as if she owned the place; eating their food and using their medical supplies. She angered him to no end even though he didn't even know her.

"Git away from me, little girl." He snarled looking her straight in the gorgeous blue eyes. They instantly turned from calm seas to fury. He called her a little girl. She was 23 years old for goodness sakes. She looked at him with wide eyes and raised eyebrows.

"Excuse me. Don't call me names. And you don't have to be so mean; I was just trying to be nice." She defended, poking herself in the chest and stepping closer to Daryl. He was so mean but that was just him.

"Don't tell me what to do." He stated starting to get up. She was getting mad now and so was he. They both infuriated each other.

"Don't come near me." She commanded, starting to raise her voice.

"Make me." He said standing right in front of her, looking down on her. Her words died in her throat; forgotten as she looked up to meet his arctic eyes. Breathtaking. She really was little compared to him. She only came up to his shoulders and he was even bigger up close. She noticed how his muscles kept flexing in frustration and the beauty mark above his lip that matched her own, but hers was darker.

Daryl was aware that she was checking him out and the way it made her speechless. It amused him. He noticed a lot of things around the camp as he sat alone. The only time anybody ever approached him and his brother was when they needed someone to risk their lives or to hunt for food. He noticed how Shane always sat a little too close to Lori and her son or how Glenn looked at Savannah while she was standing over here. He checked her out too. She had a beauty mark also and how her long hair was perfectly messy or how her nails still had nail polish on them. He was extremely observant. What she did next startled him and he lashed out at her without thinking. She shoved him. Hard. He felt her tiny hands press against his hard with muscles chest with unexpected strength. He almost crashed to the ground because she had caught him off guard.

"There I made you. Jerk." She yelled. She stood there with her arms crossed with an eyebrow raised. She was still on one foot but Daryl didn't think about that when he did what he did. Blind with rage, he charged and pushed her to the ground. Her knees buckled as brute force knocked the air out of her. When she hit, her ankle twisted even more. She yelped in pain. Tears gushing. He tried not to pay attention to them. These tears didn't bring joy to him.

"Stupid bitch!" he yelled alerting the group even though the cry of pure pain already accomplished that. Everyone was looking at him in disbelief and shame. He walked away from her toward his tent, not looking back to check if she was okay. Something told him he should, but like most times he told it to shut up.

She cried even though it embarrassed her to break down in front of strangers but the pain was too great. Shane and Glenn were by her side as was everyone else minus the culprit. Hot tears streamed down her rosy cheeks, making them flush with fire.

"Are you, okay?" Glenn and Shane asked at the same time.

"No, he shoved me." She cried, with shaking, tear soaked words. The pain pulsated and it throbbed like her foot was being shoved into a burning coal pit. She leaned back onto her elbows and lifted her wrapped, purple foot into the air. It matched the night sky.

"I'm gonna kill 'em." Glenn said, through clenched teeth and fists ready to swing. She put her hand on his, making him look at her.

"He's not worth it. Now, help me up." She said, reaching out her hand.

"Can you walk?"

"I think." Turns out, she could. He put her arm around his shoulder and helped her limp toward the RV, with the yellow sun umbrella attached to the top. He let her go for a second to open he metal door. It swung open and revealed darkness. The tears were dry now and choking feeling was gone but her heart wasn't okay.

"Thank you, Glenn, for everything." She said.

With a cheeky smile, he said," Welcome." She kissed him on the cheek, a blush kissing him also. She chuckled and before she followed him up the steps, she looked back at Daryl's tent and shook her head. She sniffled, remembering his hands on her. She didn't want to stay here if she was going to be hurt.

Glenn set her up with a light blue, cotton blanket and bare pillow to sleep with. She had to sleep on the floor but that was perfect. She was used to sleepy on cave floors and vacant hard wood floors of boarded up houses. She rubbed the material on her face, savoring the plush fabric like it could disappear at any moment.

"You really did live in the woods all by yourself, huh?" he said staring at her like he was questioning her sanity. His eyebrow was raised.

"Hey, I haven't seen a blanket in weeks and no I wasn't alone." She said starting to set up her little bed on the floor. She didn't make eye contact. She was thinking about Beast. Her foot had started feeling a little better after she went inside the RV. She doubted if it was broke but it sure felt like it. Glenn had brought in her boots and set them on the counter with her knife, which Glenn had gawked at.

"Who were you with?" he said, leaning against the table, watching her make the bed.

"Not who, what. I was with my dog."

"Your dog?" He questioned.

"Yeah, Beast. Don't worry he doesn't bark." She explained. She was really worried and so was Glenn but for different reasons. She was concerned for Beast's safety and Glenn was worried about the group's. A dog wasn't a good idea.

"Okay." He said, not believing her but she didn't really feel like talking she let it go. She laid down in the blanket nad turned over, hiding her face in the pillow.

"G' night, Savannah. Sweet dreams." Glenn said.

"Goodnight." She mumbled into the pillow. She didn't even hear him leave as she focused her mind on two things. Beast and blue eyes.


End file.
